Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector terminal, an electric connector including the connector terminal, and a method of fabricating the connector terminal.
Description of the Related Art
There is known an electric connector including a housing molded with resin and supporting a terminal therein such that the terminal is exposed out of the housing.
FIG. 44 is a perspective view of a terminal 100 suggested in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-150038. The terminal 100 includes a pair of protrusions 101 each fabricated by folding a metal sheet one on another such that the protrusions 101 are located adjacent to each other through side edges thereof. The protrusions 101 are bound at proximal ends thereof to each other by an end surface 104 of a strip 103 formed by bending a metal sheet. The strip 103 prevents molten resin from penetrating a gap 102 formed between the protrusions 101.
FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of a press-fit pin 110 suggested in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-11587. The press-fit pin 110 includes a flexible press-fit terminal 111 extending in a longitudinal direction, and a body 112 to be molded with resin. The body 112 is bent to thereby form first and second resin stoppers 113 and 114 protruding beyond the press-fit terminal 111 in a thickness-wise direction of the press-fit pin 110. The first resin stopper 113 and the second resin stopper 114 protrude in opposite directions to each other.
In the terminal 100 illustrated in FIG. 44, since a metal sheet is folded such that the protrusions 101 are located adjacent to each other through side edges thereof, the protrusions 101 have a thickness equal to the same of a portion 105 around which the strip 103 is wound. Thus, a process of folding a metal sheet such that the protrusions 101 are located adjacent to each other through side edges thereof cannot be applied to a connector terminal including a thick press-fit terminal at a center.
In the press-fit pin 110 illustrated in FIG. 45, the first and second resin stoppers 113 and 114 are formed by bending the body 112. Thus, if a highly pressurized resin 115 is supplied into an aperture 116 of a die 117, the first resin stopper 113 making first contact with the resin 115 is pushed by the resin 115, and hence, the first resin stopper 113 is made released from an inner surface of the aperture 116 with the second resin stopper 114 acting as a fulcrum, resulting in that the resin 115 penetrates an area in which the press-fit terminal 111 is located.